Bronx Barbershop Fire: E-Scooter Battery Injures Five, Bystander Saves Woman

The short version: A lithium-ion battery inside a Bronx barbershop touched off a two-alarm fire Thursday night that critically injured two people and left three others hurt — and a bystander's split-second rescue may have saved a woman's life.

A Scream, A Bodega, A Rescue

It was almost closing time. Just before 10 p.m. Thursday, La Roka Barber Shop on West Burnside Avenue in the Bronx's Morris Heights section was still open when something inside ignited. FDNY says the first call came in at 9:38 p.m. Thursday, just minutes before the shop's listed closing time of 10 p.m.

A man who goes by Travis was nearby when he heard screaming. A witness told Eyewitness News he rushed to help a woman who was inside the barbershop after hearing her screaming during the fire, saying, 'She was on fire, her hair was on fire and everything like that, so I basically pulled her out the building and got her across the street to the bodega.' He described heavy smoke filling the area as he helped get the woman to safety and waited for emergency responders to arrive.

Across the street, another bystander watched the chaos unfold in real time. Witness Derwin Vega, who was at the grocery store across the street, said, 'When I was crossing the street, I saw the smoke, so I ran,' and saw firefighters evacuating people from the barbershop just before the flames erupted.

What Happened

A lithium-ion battery sparked a two-alarm fire that tore through the Bronx barbershop and injured five people, two critically, according to the FDNY. Witnesses say employees saw the fire spread from one scooter to another, and several scooters were still inside the burned-out business afterward.

The injuries were serious. A 29-year-old man and a 39-year-old woman were rushed to the hospital in critical condition, while three other men, ages 49, 51 and 52, were taken to the hospital in stable condition. The 29-year-old man and 39-year-old woman were taken to Jacobi Medical Center. Injury counts varied slightly across outlets in the first hours of coverage: PIX11 reported four people hurt, including the two in critical condition, while at least one other outlet indicated a sixth person may have also been injured. That detail hasn't been independently confirmed and should be verified before republishing — a reminder that early breaking-news tallies often shift as more information comes in.

This was not a small response. FDNY sent 46 units and 141 fire and EMS members to the scene after firefighters arrived and quickly called for a second alarm, bringing in even more crews to help fight the fire. Even so, firefighters got the blaze under control in less than an hour.

The damage spread beyond the shop's four walls. Video from the scene showed the inside of the barbershop completely charred, and the neighboring Ming Wong Chinese restaurant was also damaged. A phone repair store next door was not burned, although an employee said its gate was cut and its door was broken. FDNY fire marshals were still at the scene Friday morning assessing the damage.

Why It Matters

This wasn't a freak, one-off event. New York City has seen a persistent rise in battery-powered micromobility fires in recent years, and shops that store or charge e-bikes and e-scooters — for delivery-driver clients, employee commuting, or shop-owned devices — face real exposure to this risk.

Given the nascent industry and lack of federal standards for e-micromobility products, a number of these batteries are or become defective and can overheat, catch fire, or explode. In 2023 alone there were 268 fires caused by lithium-ion batteries in New York City. Fire officials have been blunt about how these fires behave once they start. That type of fire is particularly difficult to fight, and standard household fire extinguishers do not work to put out lithium-ion battery fires — nor does water, which can cause flames to spread, according to the FDNY.

The city has responded with law. Local Law 39 mandates that all battery-powered micromobility devices — including electric bicycles, electric scooters, and the batteries those devices use — must be certified to accredited lab safety standards, and owners should charge and store them outside where possible. Local Laws 49 and 50 of 2024 now give the city authority to padlock — or close — any brick-and-mortar retailer that repeatedly violates the city's regulations on uncertified batteries and micromobility devices.

Industry Impact

Barbershops are unusually exposed to this risk. They're small, tightly packed storefronts on commercial strips — often with limited exits, flammable products (aerosols, alcohol-based tonics, plastic capes and combs) and, increasingly, staff or clients who ride e-bikes or e-scooters for delivery gigs or commuting and want somewhere to park and charge them during a shift.

A shop packed with clients in chairs late in the evening, with multiple scooters charging near the front, reflects exactly the kind of scenario fire officials have warned about for years. When a battery goes into thermal runaway in that kind of space, there's little room and little time to get everyone out safely — which is close to what happened here.

Lessons For Barbers And Shop Owners

This incident is a direct, practical warning for anyone running a shop where e-bikes, e-scooters, or spare battery packs end up parked near the chair. A few takeaways:

1. Keep batteries and scooters out of the shop entirely, or as far from seating and exits as possible. Keep e-bikes or scooters and batteries away from exits and windows in case of fire.

2. Buy and allow only certified equipment. Look for the Underwriter Laboratories (UL) Mark, which shows a product has been tested to nationally recognized safety standards.

3. Never let batteries charge unattended overnight or after close. Do not leave devices plugged in after they are fully charged, since overcharging can degrade the battery and increase the risk of a fire.

4. Don't overload outlets with multiple chargers. Avoid charging multiple devices at once on the same power outlet, since overloading an outlet can cause an electrical fire.

5. Inspect batteries regularly. Regularly inspect batteries for any signs of damage, such as swelling, leaking, or unusual odors.

6. Know that a fire extinguisher won't save you here. Standard extinguishers don't put these fires out — your real safety plan is early evacuation, not firefighting. Walk your staff through exit routes now, not during an emergency.

7. If you suspect a client, employee, or neighboring business is improperly storing or charging batteries, report it. You can report improper storage, charging, or disposal of lithium-ion batteries, and FDNY will review the report and possibly inspect the location by the next business day — call 311 to report the problem.

Helpful Resources

• FDNY Lithium-Ion Battery Safety page (nyc.gov/site/fdny) for downloadable safety flyers in multiple languages
• FDNYSmart.org safety tips for devices with lithium-ion batteries
• NYC 311 to report improper battery storage or charging at a business

The FDNY has not yet released a final determination on exactly which device or battery failed inside La Roka, and fire marshals were still assessing the scene as of Friday morning. We'll update this story if investigators release more details on the cause or the condition of the injured.